Track and Field Records Top Performances at Texas Tech, BU Meets

Feb 09, 2018

Senior Jay Hebert matched his career best time in the 60-meter high hurdles at the Texas Tech Shootout. (Gil Talbot)

BOSTON, Mass. – Harvard track and field competed in Lubbock, Texas at the Texas Tech Shootout and in Boston at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational this weekend, with several student-athletes putting in impressive performances.

At the Texas Tech Shootout, junior captain Gabby Thomas swept her two trademark events, winning the 60-meter dash on Friday in 7.32 (her fifth win of the year in the event), before taking the 200-meter dash on Saturday in 22.95, her fastest time of the season in the event and a new meet and facility record at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center. Freshman Olivia Okoli also made the final in the 60-meter dash, taking fifth place (7.51).

Sophomore Simi Fajemisin placed second overall in the triple jump with a 41'6.5" effort. In the 600-meter run, Maya Miklos recorded her best time in the event in 1:32.26, placing fourth.

Senior captain Jay Hebert matched his career best time in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing in third place in 7.96.

Harvard's 4x400-meter team – Karina Joiner, Gabby Thomas, Olivia Okoli, and Maya Miklos – finished second overall in 3:38.45, one of the top-5 times in program history in the event.

In Boston, Kathryn Gillespie placed 13th in the 800 meter run at the David Hemery Invitational in 2:09.04, just shy of her season best in the event.

Anna Juul took 14th in the 500 meter run, finishing in 1:17.56

Competing against an elite field in the women's 3000 meter run, Abbe Goldstein took 18th in 9:33.51, the eighth fastest indoor time in the event in program history

On Saturday, Mitch Valko set a new personal records in the 60-meter high hurdles, placing fourth in the final with an 8.09 finish.

Junior captain Myles Marshall recorded another top-10 finish in the 800-meter run, taking eighth in 1:50.47.

Matt Hurst took 15th in the 400-meter run with his collegiate best time in the event (48.12).

Jonas Aranda had one of his career-best performances in the 500-meter dash, taking eighth in 1:05.13, his best time in the event.

Harvard's 4x400-meter relay team – Matt Hurst, Myles Marshall, Jovahn Williamson, Rodney Agyare-May – placed second overall and first among collegiate programs with a 3:12.35 finish, the second fastest time in program history.

In the men's 3000-meter run, Will Battershill (8:11.90) and Hugo Milner (8:12.94) finished back-to-back in 15th and 16th.

Gunnar Allison was Harvard's top performer in throws with a 20th place finish in the shot put (46'4.25") and 16th in the weight throw (51'5").

What's Next Harvard will begin preparations for the 2018 Ivy League Heptagonal Championships, to be hosted by Dartmouth on Feb. 24-25.